The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Samuel Ogboku has called on more investors to intervene by providing commercial boat services as a way of connecting the various riverine communities in the Niger Delta region.
He said most states of the region are riverine and the importance of boat services cannot be overemphasized.
He spoke in Calabar over the weekend at the unveiling of boat services to connect to state capitals, Calabar and Uyo within 30 minutes.
The NDDC boss said while the government was working to rehabilitate the federal highways, the intervention of commercial boat services would reduce lots of hassles on the road, including long hours on the roads and other risk factors.
Ogboku said the Region, though endowed with abundant natural resources, was still largely undeveloped.
He declared that poverty, poor infrastructure and unemployment are prevalent in the region which are major setbacks to growth and development.
Ogboku noted that the NDDC will partner with the company operating the services to extend it to all Niger Delta states.
“Water transport is natural, God-given and safe. Rather than spend several hours commuting from one town to the other by road, going by water takes only a few minutes or far less time”.
Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong representing the Southern Senatorial District of Cross River State said water transportation is valuable and historic and more cost-effective compared to air and road transport.
“All the empires that colonised other nations did so through water. Conquering the water route means conquering a country and with the provision of these boat services local economies in the Niger Delta region will be impacted.
We need more boat services to connect Niger Delta States – MD NDDC